Team Buckley urges service members to get flu vaccine

  • Published
  • By Airman Nigel R. Sims
  • 460th Space Wing Public Affaris
As the wind starts to pick up speed and the temperature starts to drop, members of Team Buckley become aware that the winter season is just around the corner.

This is when important issues, such as staying healthy, become the main priority in many service members lives. Staying healthy enables service members to complete their job, which plays a major role in the overall completion of the U. S. armed forces mission.

One keys precaution that service members can do to help prevent illness is by getting the flu shot vaccination.

"The vaccination is available for patients enrolled at Buckley at the Aurora North immunization clinic [7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.]," said Lt. Col. Meredith Moore, 460th Medical Group chief of medical staff. "Additionally, this year the vaccine will be offered to active duty personnel at building 600, flight medicine, from Sept. 19 to Oct. 31.

"The vaccination is recommended for everyone six-months-old and older," said Moore.

The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. It contains three seasonal influenza viruses that are grown in eggs. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. The 2011-2012 flu vaccine will protect against an influenza A (H1N1) virus, influenza A (H3N2) virus and an influenza B virus.

Tricare beneficiaries can also receive the seasonal flu vaccine without a prescription and with no out-of-pocket expense at Tricare retail network pharmacies. This coverage is available to all Tricare beneficiaries eligible to use the Tricare retail pharmacy benefit. To locate a participating network pharmacy, call Express Scripts at 877-363-1303.